Today, several manufacturers sell position lights in auxiliary lights because the demand is high. However, many people wonder – is it actually legal to have position lights in auxiliary lights? At the same time, you almost daily see vehicles that look like Christmas trees. Position lights have become so common that the fact that they are, in most cases, illegal to have on, has been forgotten. But if a police officer were to stop you and discover that you have position lights integrated into your auxiliary lights, they have the right to issue a fine.
Below, we do our best to clarify what the law says.
Position Lights in Auxiliary Lights on Passenger Cars and Vans: What Does the Law Say?
Position lights that are built into auxiliary lights are actually allowed, but there are quite a few difficult requirements that must be met. One of these requirements is that the position lights must be E-approved and correctly placed on the vehicle. A correct installation of the lights is important to avoid unnecessary fines and to ensure that the car meets the traffic safety requirements. According to the Swedish Transport Agency, a front position light on the car must be placed from the outer edge and 400 mm inwards and max 350-1500 mm above the ground. This means that mounting three auxiliary lights with position lights in the middle of the car is not allowed. Even if the car were very narrow, for example only one meter wide, there must still be 600 mm in the middle that is completely free of position lights in order to follow the rules.
However, it is worth noting that vehicles manufactured before 1983 do not need to meet these requirements according to the law. So, if you plan to install auxiliary lights with position lights on your vehicle, make sure they are E-approved and correctly placed to avoid any fines.
Position Lights in Auxiliary Lights on Trucks – is it the Same Rules?
No, actually not – if you have a vehicle that is wider than 2100 mm, there are specific requirements for how many position lights are allowed. You can have up to four so-called width marker lights, which must be placed forward on the vehicle. Two of these lights may be located on the roof of the cab and another two may be placed on the body or superstructure.
In addition to width marker lights, you can also have identification lights, which must show white or yellow light forward and red light backward. Forward on the vehicle, you can have up to three identification lights, while backward you can have three red identification lights. These must be placed so that the center of each light is 150-300 mm apart.
When it comes to side marker lights, there are certain placement requirements. Normally, they should be placed between 350-1500 mm above the ground. If it is needed for the construction of the vehicle, the height can be reduced but it must not exceed 2100 mm. The distance between the side marker lights must not be more than 6000 mm and it is required that the first and last light must be placed within 2000 mm from the beginning or end of the vehicle. For trailers that are shorter than 6 meters, a front light does not need to be placed within 2000 mm.
Rear Lights
The requirements for rear position lights are similar to those for the front ones, but with one important difference – there must be at least two. This means that you can have a combination of a rear light and a rubber arm with lighting, or two separate rear position lights. If you want to have more than two lights, the number must be even to meet the requirements. This was a brief overview of the requirements for lighting on vehicles. Please note that the information is subject to change and we take no responsibility for any inaccuracies. Feel free to go in and read TSFS 2013:63 in its entirety on the Swedish Transport Agency’s website.
